A YORKSHIRE NATURALIST 33 



frequently out with our guns at dawn, and many 

 valuable birds still in the museum at Scarborough 

 were obtained during these early rambles. On 

 other occasions we were plant-hunting. I was then 

 forming a collection of the plants of Eastern York- 

 shire, as well as trying to master the natural 

 classification which was already beginning to 

 supplant the Linnaean method, so long the one 

 universally adopted. 



Many of our best collecting grounds were at a 

 distance, and we often started on our journey 

 before daybreak; in this a little practical diffi- 

 culty had to be overcome. Having frequently a 

 companion on these excursions, we were not always 

 able to leave our beds simultaneously. For this we 

 invented a remedy; each of us provided a long 

 string, one end of which was tied round the 

 sleeper's wrist, whilst the other was flung out of the 

 window, and could be reached by any person out- 

 side ; thus the first to rise was able to arouse his 

 companion. From time to time the ludicrous side of 

 our arrangement became manifest. When neither 

 of us awoke at the time arranged for, these strings 

 hung down the front of our respective houses 

 until the servants of the neighbourhood were on the 

 move; and they, having become familiar with our 

 plans, took care vigorously to arouse us. 



One of these mornings was to me a somewhat 

 interesting one. The nature and functions of the 

 stamens and pistils of each flowering plant were 



c 



